Local people

Six schools from Spelthorne and Runnymede started a competition on Saturday (6) for the chance to win their very own allotment.

The competition, which is co sponsored by the Staines Informer was launched at The Elmsleigh Shopping Centre and will see pupils competing for a raised bed allotment and seeds, gardening equipment and expert advice on how to get started.

Pupils from Buckland Primary School, in Berrycroft Road, Staines, Kingscroft Junior School, in Park Avenue, Staines, Manorcroft Primary School, in Manorcrofts Road, Egham, Shortwood Infant School, in Stanwell New Road, Staines, Hythe Primary School, in Thorpe Road, Staines and Stanwell Fields School, in Clare Road, Stanwell, will be encouraging people to vote for their schools.

More than hundred people could lose their jobs after workers at Bupa in Staines, Egham, and Ashford were told redundancies were being considered.

Workers at the healthcare company were told on Wednesday March 3 that a three-month consultation period had begun due to a need for the company to restructure their staff.

Football fans and supporters of Staines Town FC supremo Alan Boon will be walking to Woking on Saturday (March 6) to raise money for a hospital unit.

The 63-year-old chairman of the club, who lives in Egham, suffered from a heart attack in May last year, and was taken to St Peter's Hospital in Chertsey where he was nursed back to help.

A husband and father of two boys who died in a frozen lake was 'one of the most caring and loving people.'

Philip Hughes, 45, known as Beano to his friends, passed away at the World Professional Darts Championship when his body was found in an icy lake at Lakeside Country Club, in Frimley Green on Thursday January 7.

Mr Hughes, who grew up and lived in Ashford for nearly all of his life, has been described as popular, loving, caring, funny, and kind by his family.

Wife Cherie Hughes, 44, said: "He was such a caring person who would have done anything for anybody. We were the complete opposites but were soul mates."

His funeral will be held in Englefield Green.

Please see the January 21 edition of the Staines and Ashford/Egham News and Surrey Herald Shepperton and Sunbury edition for the full interview and pictures.

An Egham based website offering garishly coloured hockey sticks with funny names has attained a cult following on social networking site Facebook.

Uber Hockey is selling pink 'wangs' and black 'meaties' to members of the public, and it has used the Facebook for marketing purposes.

A Royal Holloway researcher will be spending Christmas in a Winter Wonderland as he heads to minus 30 degree temperatures in Antarctica.

James France, of the Department of Earth Sciences, will leave on December 9, and will spend five weeks living in 'Dome C', which is 3000 metres above sea level on the Antarctic Plateau.

The Mayor of Runnymede was among many visitors admiring the talents on offer during Runnymede Art Society's autumn exhibition.

Runnymede mayor, councillor Paul Tuley (Conservative) visited the show, which took place at the Literary Institute, Egham High Street, on Friday, October 30 and Saturday, November 1.

With the threat of the Airtrack scheme increasing barrier down times at Egham's three level crossings many residents claimed the signal controllers were not working the barriers efficiently.

RUSSELL BUTT visited the Feltham signal box which controls the crossings, to witness the controllers at work first-hand and spoke to them about Egham's residents, crossing abuse and Airtrack.

It only takes the slightest of annoyances to make a bad day that much more intolerable.

For many residents or visitors to Egham, getting stuck at one of the town's three level crossings is just such an occurance and causes considerable aggravation.

When BAA's consultation document for the Airtrack scheme - a proposed express rail link from Waterloo to Heathrow Terminal 5 - revealed that the extra train services laid on could lead to level crossing barriers being down for up to 38 minutes in every hour, the population of Egham drew a collective gasp of disbelief.

A theatre group is rehearsing for it's next production to be performed in Egham next year.
Staines Musical Theatre Group's are putting on Music Man at Magna Carta School in March.

The group who rehearse in Staines Methodist Church, Thames Street, every Monday is looking for people to fill vacancies.

For more information ring chairman Gail Thomas on 01784 454339.

A take away restaurant is getting a new make over and offering half price food to celebrate.
Jacks Fish & Chips in the High Street has been taken over by restaurant chain Deep Blue and will re-open under that name next month with a brand new look.

To mark the re-opening, the take away is offering half price fish and chips on Wednesday, November 11 and Thursday, November 12.